


11 Rules

by Doom_Cookie



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien being an idiot, Awkward Flirting, F/M, Flirting, Identity Reveal, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, a cute one though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-08 00:56:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6832324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doom_Cookie/pseuds/Doom_Cookie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>11 rules for courting a princess (when you're a superhero).</p><p>A guide by Adrien Agreste.</p><p>1. Be Yourself</p><p>2. Failing rule 1: Don't ask her out as your civilian self.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1. Be Yourself.

**Author's Note:**

> My second ML fic, and this one is chaptered! For once I actually have the whole thing planned out ahead of time, hurray!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

1\. Be Yourself

 

If you had asked Adrien Agreste a month ago how he would be spending his Friday night, he most certainly wouldn’t have told you, _“flirting with Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”_ But now, he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

 

If he was being quite honest with himself, he would say that he had been interested in her from the very first day they met. After all, she was the first person Adrien had ever truly called friend. For some reason, though, when ever he was around she seemed to clam up. Adrien concluded that it must be because he made her nervous, though he couldn’t fathom why. It certainly wasn’t because she didn’t like him, if that were the case he knew she would have no problem letting him know, the way she did before, and she certainly wasn’t shy. In any case, Adrien tried to do all he could to make her see there was no reason to be nervous around him. He was always polite, his comforting her always seemed to make her a bit happier, and whenever she fell he was always sure to catch her. It seemed no matter what he did, though, that their friendship would never progress. At least, not as his civilian self.

 

When Marinette was around Chat Noir, she was the girl everyone else got to see. She was confident, quick thinking, and witty. There was no stuttering, no wild gesticulating, she was just herself. And Adrien thought she was amazing, he needed to know more. So began Chat's “casual” drops by her balcony on his way home from patrol. 

 

Adrien knew it was sort of wrong to try and get close to Marinette as Chat Noir, after all, it’s not like that would translate into his civilian life, but he couldn’t help himself. He was a curious cat after all, and with each bit of new information, he craved even more. He already knew the big things, that she was crazy talented in designing, that, despite her protests, she was a natural leader, that she kicked butt at ultimate mecha-strike, and that she somehow always came up with a solution to any problem. Most of all, Adrien knew that she was incredibly kind, kind enough to humor an ally cat like Chat Noir. But he also knew different things from the time he spends with her now. Her favorite color is pink, she loves hamsters, her favorite dessert is a fruit tart, she has a green thumb, she smells like chocolate chip cookies, and all the million other little things that make up a person.

 

But the thing he knew that gave him the greatest joy was that she was amazing at flirting. It was the newest thing he found out about her. When he first started dropping by she was friendly of course, but never flirty. She would brush him off the same way his Lady would, lately though, it seemed something had changed. About a week ago she had started flirting back. Just a little at first, but now here they were, in the middle of the night, having a full on flirt war.

 

“Well, maybe this princess is into bad boys, you ever think about that?” Marinette sassed with a smirk on her face.

 

“Pawlease, Princess. I am the very definition of ‘Bad Boy with a Heart of Gold,’” Chat answered, gesturing to himself.

 

“Oh, are you now? How do you swing that, Kitten?”

 

“I run around in a skin tight leather suit fighting crime, and I’ve recently developed a habit of sneaking into this cute girl’s room at night to flirt with her,” Chat said, leaning in close to Marinette’s face so there was only a few inches between them.

 

“Hmm, you’re right, you do sound like a bad boy,” she replied as she glanced down at his lips.

 

“Princess, I assure you, I am the baddest cat around,” he said, inching just a little bit closer.

 

“Of course, I know that underneath all that ‘bad boy’ swagger lies the biggest dork in all of Paris,” Marinette claimed as she danced away from him, giggling. 

 

“Oh, Princess, that is just cold, we were having a meowment.”

 

“And that is just the worst pun you’ve told all night.”

 

“Yeah, not my best.” Chat shrugged.

 

“In any case, it’s late, and I need sleep,” Marinette yawned out.

 

Chat yawned back as he jumped up on the balcony. “You are cattagious, Princess, but I agree. I could definitely go for a cat nap right now.”

 

“Good night, Chat Noir,” Marinette said as she smiled.

 

“Goodnight, Marinette,” he replied as he got ready to jump off the railing. Before he could though, Marinette stood up on her tippy toes and lightly kissed his cheek.

 

“See you later, Kitty!” Marinette called back as she quickly ran to the roof hatch and scrambled inside.

 

Maybe getting close to Marinette as Chat Noir wasn’t the best decision, and maybe it would blow up in his face one day, but Adrien thought it was totally worth it if meant she would kiss his cheek again.

 

Besides, Chat Noir was still technically ‘himself,’ right? He was still following the rule.

 


	2. 2. Failing rule 1: Don't ask her out as your civilian self

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adrien continues to break his own rules.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, the ML fandom is freaking lit, because I have never seen my kudos count shoot up that fast. You guys are awsome, thank you!!
> 
> Also, I usually try to make every chapter longer than the one before it, that did not happen with this one. I'm fairly new to writing and it's difficult for me to write really long chapters. I am trying though, so I hope one day I can write super long stories. Anyway, this chapter is really short, but I hope you like it anyway.
> 
> Enjoy! ^_^

2\. Failing Rule 1: Don’t ask her out as your civilian self.

 

Adrien swears he would have followed this one, but honestly, what was he supposed to do? 

 

His father had told him that he was expected to attend the after party for the upcoming fashion show, as always, but this time he would be expected to have a date. And if Adrien didn’t find one himself, one would be appointed to him. Truthfully, Adrien was surprised he had the option of finding his own date, but he wasn’t going to complain. The only problem was that the only person he _wanted_  to go out with already had a strange flirty friendship with his superhero self, and could barely speak to his civilian self. It was quite the _cat_ undrum, in Adrien's opinion. He would just have to go with one of his other friends, perhaps Juleka or Rose, definitely _not_  Chloé.

 

That would have worked out perfectly, but Marinette had chosen to wear something different today other than her usual jeans and t-shirt, and Adrien lost all brain function. _She was wearing a Chat Noir t-shirt_. A black one, with a big green paw stitched onto the front. That, and little green shorts, with those long cat socks that came over her knees he had gotten for her as a joke. All Adrien could think was, _'She looks good in my colors.'_

 

It was only after Marinette started to fidget under his gaze that he even realized he was staring.

 

“Uh, sorry! I just, you look good in my - Chat's! I mean, you look good in those colors. Not that you don’t look good in other colors, 'cause you do! I just! I mean! I like your outfit, you look nice today,” Adrien tapered off quietly, he could feel his face going red.

 

She smiled brightly at him. _'Oh god, she’s beautiful.'_ “Th-Thanks. I m-made it. The top, I mean.”

 

Minimal stuttering, and she looked him in the eyes the whole time. Progress. “I figured. I looked everywhere for a Chat Noir t-shirt, but I couldn’t find one.”

 

Marinette looked down at her shoes and mumbled,  “Icouldmakeyouoneifyouwant.”

 

“I’m sorry, what?”

 

She looked back at him determinedly. “I said, I could make you one. If you wanted, that is.”

 

“I would love that!” Adrien exclaimed, jumping out of his seat a little.

 

Marinette smiled brightly at him again, and he could not keep his next words from falling out of his mouth.

 

“Do you want to go out with me on Saturday?” Years later, Adrien will swear that time froze for a moment while he wondered to himself; _'what did I just do?'_

 

“W-wh-what?” Marinette squeaked out.

 

“Wait, no!”

 

“No?”

 

“No! I mean, not _“no.”_ I don’t mean go out with me, go out with me, like a date, though I guess it would be sort of a date. What I mean to say is that there’s this fashion show, this Saturday,  and I have to go to the after party, and my father said to bring a date, and I just thought, since you like fashion, maybe you would like to come with me? As a friend?” _'Nice save, Agreste.'_ He could feel Plagg laughing at him in his pocket as he reached back to scratch at his neck.

 

Marinette's face was about as red as Nathaniel's hair, but she seemed to be doing her best to keep looking him in the eyes. “I-I would Io-love to-“

 

“Really?”

 

“But, I have to ask first.”

 

Adrien’s face dropped. “Oh, of course. Um, let me know tomorrow, then?”

 

She nodded. “Yeah, I will.”

 

The teacher called for class to start after that, and Adrien took a deep breath. He swears he would have followed this rule, _he would have_ , but Marinette was just so cute, how was he not supposed to ask her to go with him? More importantly, how was he going to survive the date, if she could go, without giving himself away?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! And come stalk me on Tumblr at miraculous-doom-cookie, that is where I will post previews and updates for upcoming chapters.


	3. 3. Failing Rule 2: Don't tell her to go on the date with your civilian self.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adrien both wingmans for, and sabatoges, himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I ended up finishing this chapter as soon as I started it.

3\. Failing Rule 2: Don’t tell her to go on the date with your civilian self.

 

“Well, hello there, _Purr_ incess. Fancy meeting you here.” Chat winked as he slid down his staff and onto Marinette’s balcony.

 

“It is my balcony, kitty.” Marinette smirked back at him, but her voice was missing her usual teasing tone. Chat frowned.

 

“What’s wrong, Princess? Did something happen?” Chat asked.

 

“ _Well_ ,” Marinette began, twisting her hands together, “it’s more like something might happen.”

 

“You’re not moving, are you?” Chat asked quickly, a bit panicked. _'Please don’t be moving, please don’t be leaving. If she leaves, who am I going to talk to at night? Who will feed me cookies I’m not supposed to eat?  Who’s going to laugh at my jokes!?'_

 

“No, I’m not moving,” Marinette giggled out.

 

“Dying of a terminal illness?”

 

“No!”

 

“Changing schools?”

 

“Chat, I am not going anywhere!” Marinette shouted. “Wait, why would it matter if I changed schools? You could still come see me.”

 

“Uh, no reason, so what happened?” Chat smiled nervously, hoping she wouldn't look to much into that last question.

 

“Come, sit.” She gestured to his usual seat, a plate of cookies on the table in front. _‘White chocolate macadamia nut. Yum.'_

 

“So, there’s this boy,” Marinette began, her face red. Chat motioned for her to continue, his mouth too full of cookie to talk.

 

“I like this boy, a lot, and I sort of only recently came to the realization. I’m not sure if he likes me, though, not the way I like him. We’re friends, good friends, and I’m afraid that if I told him how much I liked him, and then things didn’t work out, I would lose that friendship. Anyway, there’s this _other_ boy, too.”

 

“Another boy, Princess? Where have all these boys come from, I thought I was the only boy in your life.” Chat mock-pouted at her.

 

“I believe I said you were the only cat in my life. Anyway, this boy is really great, too, and I’ve liked him for a long time, and today. Well, today he asked me on a date. As friends. To a fashion show, and after party.”

 

Adrien nearly choked on his cookie. _‘RETREAT! RETREAT! YOU CAN’T HANDLE THIS, RETREAT!'_

 

“And, why are you telling me all of this?” _‘Damn my curiosity.'_

 

“Well, what do you think I should do? What if I go on the date, and then the first boy thinks I don’t like him, and I ruin my chances? What if I don’t go on the date, but then it turns out that the first boy doesn’t like me anyway, and the second boy never asks me out again?”

 

_'Okay, this is perfect. Just tell her not to go, and then everything will go back to normal. You can do this, Agreste.'_

 

“Do you want to go on the date?” _'No, you idiot! What are you doing!?'_

 

“Well, yes, of course I do! But, Chat I-“

 

“Then you should go.” ' _Here lies Adrien Agreste, who died of having no impulse control.'_

 

“What?”

 

“You should go on the date. If you really want to, and it’s just as friends, why not? There’s no need to make things complicated.” _‘Why do I do these things?'_

 

“Oh. Alright then. Thanks for the advice.” She said slowly.

 

“Great, glad I could help!” Chat replied, smiling wide.

 

Marinette stood up. “Well, it’s late, your cookies are finished, and I have class tomorrow. So, goodnight, Kitty.”

 

“Aw, no kiss this time?” Chat teased.

 

Marinette blushed a little. “Well, suppose you have earned it.” She said as she leaned down to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for all your help, Chat Noir.”

 

Chat grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it. “You are quite welcome, Princess.”

 

It wasn’t until Adrien was halfway home that it finally clicked and he slid to a stop. _'Wait, so Marinette likes me as Adrien!? Is Chat the other boy!? AM I MY OWN RIVAL!?'_

 

Adrien let out an audible groan. “Oh, you idiot.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. Now what will the cat-son do? Let me know if you liked it!! ^-^

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you liked it, and please inform me of any mistakes, I will try to fix them as soon as I can.
> 
> Come stalk me on Tumblr at miraculous-doom-cookie


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